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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26047564">A caged owl's talons.</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/levi2207/pseuds/levi2207'>levi2207</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Owl House (Cartoon)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blood and Injury, Eda's gonna rain down fire, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Hurt No Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Lilith is gonna need to work for that fucking redemption arc, Multi, Redemption, Sad Luz Noceda, Violence, Written after agony of a witch, canon compliant up to episode 18: Agony of a witch</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 09:35:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,765</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26047564</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/levi2207/pseuds/levi2207</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After the events of episode 18, nothing will ever be the same. Eda's been captured, Luz is being hunted and Belos is nearing total victory.</p><p>The battle might have been won, but the war is only beginning.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Amity Blight/Luz Noceda, Eda Clawthorne &amp; Lilith Clawthorne</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>75</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>322</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Bound, but never broken.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Wrote this immediately after watching episode 18, this started off as a 1 shot meant to shit on Lilith, but now I'm way too invested and this is probably gonna be one hell of a ride.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em> Finally, it’s over. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>For days now, that singular thought has occupied the leader of the emperor’s coven’s mind. The sheer sense of relief and jubilation is… refreshing.</p><p> </p><p>Stood atop the ramparts of the emperor’s castle. Looking down on the bridge where it finally ended, she can’t help but let a slight smile pass over her pale face. All the fighting, the chasing and the <em> frustration </em>. It’s all over, Eda’s where she belongs and she’s finally in the coven and she’s safe and-</p><p> </p><p>“What troubles your mind, Lilith?” Thankfully nobody is around to hear Lilith’s squeak of surprise as a voice oh so rudely shakes her from her thoughts. </p><p> </p><p>“Kikimora.” She greets the small red demoness, “What brings you here?” </p><p> </p><p>“I believe my question precedes yours, dear Lilith.” </p><p> </p><p>Lilith answers, turning away so the <em> brat </em> can’t see her rolling her eyes. “Just, everything is finally as it should be. Edalyn’s where she <em> belongs </em> after all these years.” </p><p> </p><p>“Ah yes, you managed to apprehend your sister, well done.” Kikimora replies, in that very same monotone voice with just the tiniest <em> hint </em> of smugness that makes Lilith wish she wasn’t the emperor’s right hand so Lilith could blast her into oblivion.</p><p> </p><p>“That does bring me quite neatly onto my reason for being here, you see some of the guards have reported the owl lady saying some <em> unfavourable </em> things about the emperor, if he were to hear those I’d imagine he’d be quite displeased. Wouldn’t you think?” </p><p> </p><p>That makes Lilith freeze, before anger blossoms in her chest. <em> Of course </em>. Nothing could ever be easy with Eda, but she refused to let years of blood, sweat and tears be put to waste just because her stupid little sister couldn’t keep her mouth shut about the emperor.</p><p> </p><p>“Lilith?” Kikimora’s infuriating voice rings out again. And Lilith slowly releases the white knuckled grip on her staff as she takes a few deep breaths.</p><p> </p><p>“I’ll handle it, thank you for bringing it to my attention.” </p><p> </p><p>“See to it that you do.” Kikimora says as Lilith moves back into the castle. headed towards the sanctum’s lowest reaches.</p><p> </p><p>The dungeons.</p><p> </p><p>This is where they keep the rogue witches until they are ready to join a coven. Taking up at least of a third of the castle’s lower reaches, the dungeons are simply massive. Gigantic black stone halls filled with cage after cage, crammed with hundred if not thousands of vagrants and law breakers from across the isles. </p><p>Lilith’s destination is lower still, to the truest blackest pits where escape is impossible.</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>Finally she arrives, the lowest reaches of the emperor’s castle, where her sister is kept. A wooden gate stands before her, guarded by two of the coven’s best. Beyond that is her prison’s cell.</p><p> </p><p>The obsidian cage it is called, said to have housed only one prisoner prior to Eda being locked in, a massive circular black stone room covered in ancient and powerful runes not even <em> she </em> has deciphered. It is simply put, impenetrable.</p><p> </p><p>The moment they notice her, the two guards stand at attention, though a simple wave of her hand makes it clear there is no need to.</p><p> </p><p>“Miss Lilith, are you here to speak to the prisoner?” One of them speaks, and she nods.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, I am here to speak to my sister. Would you mind giving us some privacy?”<br/><br/>“Yes, miss Lilith.” Both reply without question, marching back up the winding stairs.</p><p> </p><p>Now that leaves only one thing. Lilith’s hand rests upon the massive door’s lock, reciting the incantation to open it. But she doesn’t push it open. <em> Something </em> stills her hand from pushing the door aside and stepping in.</p><p> </p><p>She realizes quickly enough what causes her apprehension. She’s not seen Eda since she was carted off into the dungeons, still shrieking and thrashing against her bindings as a curse beast.</p><p> </p><p>What if she’s still that, that <em> thing. </em></p><p> </p><p><em> He doesn’t want to cure me, he wants to </em> <b> <em>control</em> </b> <em> me. </em> Eda’s voice rings through her head like a bell. But she shakes herself of that silly notion quite quickly. The emperor himself had promised to take care of that.</p><p> </p><p>No, Lilith supposes that the option that her sister is in there, that is the thing that has her hesitate.</p><p> </p><p>Her sister, who undoubtedly is going to scream and swear and rage at her. Who after nearly two decades of wondering has finally found out the reason for her curse being her own flesh and blood. Who fought tooth and claw to save a mere <em> human </em>, going as far as to sacrifice herself for the upstart.</p><p> </p><p>Lilith steels her nerves, whatever waits beyond that door, she can handle it. So she takes a breath, and steps into the room.</p><p> </p><p>It’s massive, compared to the other cells, there’s no bars and shackles, hell there’s even a bed off in the corner, surely a welcome change from sleeping in a <em> nest </em> for years.</p><p> </p><p>She holds up her staff, the raven’s head glowing with a faint blue light as she steps further into the cell, her footsteps echoing through the stone room as she moves forward.</p><p> </p><p>Suddenly the sound of her feet isn’t the only one, whirling around she comes face to face with-</p><p> </p><p>Her staff clatters to the ground, hands covering her mouth as her eyes burn with tears.</p><p> </p><p>Edalyn’s standing in front of her, that <em> mane </em> she calls a haircut is that same fiery orange again instead of the streaked white it’s been for 18 years, her wrinkles are gone, replaced with smooth skin that makes her look like the younger sister she is.</p><p> </p><p>“Eda.” She chokes out, suddenly everything she was going to say is unimportant.  </p><p> </p><p>Her little sister’s okay.</p><p> </p><p>Voice thick with tears, she’s barely able to choke out a “C’mere.” as she steps forward, eyes blurry from tears that streak down her face. Arms outstretched as she steps forward to sweep her sister up in a hug.</p><p> </p><p>As her arms close however, it’s only air they touch. Lilith’s eyes open confusedly, before snapping up just in time to see Eda, fist cocked back and <em> murder </em> in her eyes.</p><p> </p><p>The next thing she knows, she’s facing the singular lamp on the cell’s ceiling, a touch to her face reveals that her nose is indeed broken, the lower half of her face is covered in dried up blood.</p><p> </p><p>Two quick spells later she’s good as new, well. <em> Almost </em>. Eda had gotten her good.</p><p> </p><p>Wait, <em> Eda </em>. Her eyes flick over to the door. Her blood runs cold, no. nonononono-</p><p> </p><p>It’s still open. The emperor is going to <em> kill </em>her for this failure.</p><p> </p><p>“Over here.” </p><p> </p><p>She releases a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding, as she looks over to the shadowy form of Edalyn sitting on the bed, in one of the darker corners of the cell. </p><p> </p><p>“Wh- what? Why didn’t you run.” Lilith can’t help but mutter out as her little sister stands up from the bed, her own ivory staff clutched within the redhead’s hands.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, my magic’s been sealed.” Eda says, as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world. Whilst pointing to the glyphs on her arms. The ones Lilith had cast on her before presenting her to Belos. “And even I don’t think I can make it all the way up there without my magic.”<br/><br/>Lilith slowly stands up off of the ground as her sister comes to a stop before her.</p><p>A flash, and suddenly her <em> own staff </em> is at her throat. The raven’s pointed wings dig into her skin as Eda’s eyes seem to light up with a fire that makes her skin crawl. “What are you doing with that thing, you can’t use magic.”</p><p> </p><p>Eda snorts. “Long stick with sharp bits at the end, I don’t <em> need </em> magic to use this thing.”</p><p> </p><p>“Also.” Her sister says, voice dangerously monotone. “Figured this was the only way I’d get some answers out of you.” The pressure on her throat increases as Eda drives the staff deeper. “Start talking.”</p><p> </p><p>Suddenly the pressure is gone, the staff back at Eda’s side as she glares at her, tapping her foot impatiently.</p><p> </p><p>“Well?”</p><p> </p><p>“Wh- what do you mean, the curse?” </p><p> </p><p>“No I’m asking if you’ve met any cute boys lately- OF COURSE I MEAN THE CURSE.” Eda shouts, and Lilith takes another step back at the outburst.</p><p> </p><p>“Why Lily.” She adds, and Lilith’s heart breaks. A million apologies never uttered, a thousand confessions never made rush through her mind like a stampede of wild animals. Driving her to the edge as tears begin to prickle at the edge of her vision once more.</p><p> </p><p>“I- I was a stupid kid, okay? You were running circles around everyone with magic, and you were always <em> oh so eager </em> to rub it in our faces. I… I’d had it okay? The humiliation, being reduced to merely Edalyn’s <em> sister </em> after working my ass off for every scrap of recognition I could get.”<br/><br/>She doesn’t notice the blood trickle down her hands from where her nails dig into her palms, too caught up on choking every single word out from between unwilling lips. Eyes not meeting Eda’s.</p><p> </p><p>“I mentioned it once, being sick of always playing second fiddle to you, and Gwen mentioned something that could help-</p><p> </p><p>“Wait, Gwen? As in Gwendolyn, Gwendolyn <em> Blight? </em>” Eda interrupts, Lilith merely gives a shaky nod back.</p><p> </p><p>“An-anyways. She mentioned something, a spell. A <em> curse </em> . Something that was supposed to slow down your growth. <em> Bring you down to our level </em>. She said, I never could have imagined the true extent. I- I can’t begin to say how sorry I am.” </p><p> </p><p>Despite the tears streaming down her face, despite the blood in her hands and the sheer disgust she feels at herself. She can’t help but feel some measure of relief, the truth is finally out in the world. There’s an invisible weight that lifts off of her shoulders.</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>She drops to her knees, the weight of the confession buckling her legs from under her. She begins talking, no. Begging. Hoping that her little sister will understand.<br/><br/>“ I probably don’t deserve it. But now that you’re where you belong. Will you give me a chance, please Eda. Will you forgive me?” </p><p> </p><p>“No.”</p><p> </p><p>Her head snaps up at that, looking into Eda’s eyes. She looks devastated, and she can see streaks of dried tears. But her eyes, they are <em> ice. </em></p><p> </p><p>“Wh-what do you mean? No?”</p><p> </p><p>“And people call you the smart one, you <em> asked </em> for forgiveness, questions usually can have multiple answers. <em> Sis </em>.” The way that last word is spat out with nothing short of disgust makes her recoil.</p><p> </p><p>But Eda’s only getting started. The ice melts within a seconds, and a spark lights in her eyes. One that flares up into an inferno that Lilith can only stare into and hope not to be consumed by. As the younger witch stalks over to her, like a predator moving in for the kill. </p><p> </p><p>“You really think that’s gonna be enough? I was <em> sixteen </em>Lilith. I was a kid!”</p><p> </p><p><em> I did that to her. </em> </p><p> </p><p>“I know, and I’m <em> so sorry </em>-” Lilith tries to get a word in, but Eda pins down with a glare so fierce she feels like she’s staring at the emperor at his most furious.</p><p> </p><p>“YOU THINK SORRY IS <b>ENOUGH</b> ?” Eda snaps. And the walls <em> shake </em> . “Do you know what that curse did to me? Lily? Do you have <em> any </em> idea what it’s like? To fear hurting the people you care about, to live on a timer? To wonder if today is gonna be the last day, to spend <em> days </em> screaming in <em> agony </em> because you didn’t shift back correctly? To black out and spend weeks wondering if you hurt anyone? Killed anyone?  And to live with that for. Eighteen. Years?!”</p><p> </p><p>“I- I…” Lilith tries. But Eda takes a step forward, and she scrambles backwards. The staff is back at her throat again. “But that’s not the worst thing you did.”</p><p> </p><p><em> Not the worst? </em> How could anything be worse than the curse, it’s something Lilith has regretted for over 18 years, how is it not the worst thing she’s done to Eda.</p><p> </p><p>“You. Hurt. My. <em> Kid. </em>” Every word the staff digs in deeper, Lilith’s breath running short as she is all but forced against the floor. Magic lights up in her palm but she stops it.</p><p> </p><p><em> Kid? </em> Her eyebrows furrow.<br/><br/>“The human?” Despite the situation, Lilith can’t help but scoff. “What’s it with your obsession with it-” She can’t finish her sentence as the staff digs into her throat even deeper, drawing blood.</p><p> </p><p>“<em> She. </em> Has a name. It is Luz. And you tried to <em> kill </em> her.” Lilith can see the frustration in Eda’s eyes, her arms shaking as she fights against something. Before she pulls the staff away from her sister’s throat. Throwing it aside as she takes a step back.</p><p> </p><p>“A child, a fourteen year old girl, a girl with more passion and love in her heart than I’ve seen in <em> anyone </em>. And you would have killed her without batting an eye.” The way Eda looks at her as she says it, it makes her feel like she’s the lowest filth in the world.</p><p> </p><p>“A child.” She says again, and Lilith averts her gaze. “How can you even look at yourself in the mirror, it’s beyond me.”</p><p> </p><p>Lilith doesn’t say anything. Staring at one particular spot on the floor as she lets Eda let her know just what she thinks.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, I hope you’re happy with yourself. All of this for <em> nothing.” </em> Edalyn spits turning away and sitting down on her bed.</p><p> </p><p><em> What? </em> For nothing? Does Edalyn not understand the position she’s in, how grateful she should be to Belos for saving her life?</p><p> </p><p>“What, you thought I’d just roll over and come crawling back just because I’m no longer cursed? The redhead scoffs. “As if, y’know. I do wonder how long Belos will humour all of this. If I won’t fall in line.”</p><p> </p><p>Lilith catches on immediately. “You’re bluffing.” She says from between clenched teeth.</p><p> </p><p>“Am I?” An eyebrow shoots up, as if saying “Try me.” </p><p> </p><p>“Y- you have to be. Does your life mean so little to you?”</p><p> </p><p>“You have an odd perception about what does, and what does <em> not </em> matter to me, Lily.” Edalyn smirks. crossing her arms in an all too smug victory pose considering she’s talking about dying to simply <em> spite </em> her sister.</p><p> </p><p>“You’d throw your life away, now that you finally have a chance to live it to the fullest. Emperor Belo-”</p><p> </p><p>“Emperor Belos currently has me locked up in a <em> dungeon </em>. With the only options being join him or die. I’m not feeling all too generous, if you know what I mean?”</p><p> </p><p>A beat. And then Edalyn scoffs. “Of course you don’t, you’ve been so brainwashed into being Belos’ little lapdog you don’t even know how to think for yourself anymore. Just get out of here Lily, I can’t bear the sight of you.”</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>Lilith rises to her feet, summoning her staff to her. “In time you will realize this folly of yours. But I will respect your wish, sister of mine.” With that she makes her way out of the cell.</p><p> </p><p>Eda’s voice calls out to her, as she’s just about to move through the doorway. </p><p> </p><p>“Don’t call me sister, you lost that right.” The sheer <em> venom </em> in the voice freezes the leader of the emperor’s coven in her track. And she can’t help but ask.</p><p> </p><p>“When?” </p><p> </p><p>“When you tried to kill my <em> daughter </em>.”</p><p> </p><p>The raven haired witch whirls around, eyes wide. Only to meet the scornful gaze of her redheaded sister.</p><p> </p><p>She doesn’t say another word. Slamming the door shut behind her and reciting the spell to seal it once more. There is but one thought on her mind as she ascends the steps again, past the wailing masses of prisoners and the guards.</p><p> </p><p>She needs to find this Luz, she’s the key to Eda’s compliance.</p><p> </p><p>And find the human she will, whatever it might take.</p><p> </p><p>She owes their mother that much.</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>--Meanwhile, the obsidian cage.</p><p> </p><p>The talk with her sister had answered a few questions, yet at the same time made her ask two dozen more.</p><p> </p><p>It had however done one thing, it had made up her mind more than she herself ever could.</p><p> </p><p>Running away wasn’t enough anymore. Belos would <em> never </em> stop until he had her within his clutches.</p><p> </p><p>Fortunately for her, Belos had shown one of his rare moments of <em> sentimentality </em>. Undoing her curse before having her allegiance, likely to earn Lilith’s favour. As if he didn’t have the raven haired witch eating out of the palm of his hand already.</p><p> </p><p>With her curse gone, Eda could feel the magic within her pulsing, her magic powers swelling to unprecedented levels as nearly two decades worth of built up power flowed into her. A dam had burst, and the owl lady would make sure that Belos drowned in the surge.</p><p> </p><p>But to do that, she needed access to her magic, and with these glyphs on her arms she couldn’t.</p><p> </p><p>But that’s where once again, her sis- Lilith had come in clutch. Lilith was an excellent witch in her own right, but old magics were something she’d never bothered to learn.</p><p> </p><p>Thankfully Eda had, and she had a very handy glyph. One that could undo any magical seal.</p><p> </p><p>The catch? It had to be drawn in the blood of the person who cast the seal in the first place, but once again. Lilith had come in clutch, and one such rune was currently drawn on the bottom of her bed.</p><p> </p><p>Now she needed only to buy her time, and knowing Luz. She wouldn’t have to wait long</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>“Please Luz, stay safe.”</p><p> </p><p>The guards would probably be here with her food, two meals a day, an extreme luxury when it came to prisoners housed here.</p><p> </p><p>Still, she probably could get a few hours of sleep in, gods know she needed them.</p><p> </p><p>The first die had been cast, the first battle had been fought.</p><p> </p><p>They think they’ve won, that she’s beaten and at their mercy.</p><p> </p><p>She <em> knows </em> it’s different.</p><p> </p><p>It’s only just begun.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Hexside hijinx, part 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Well then, what a finale. Loved every second of it, hopefully this chapter satisfies the lot of you.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Lilith didn’t sleep much, never has been one to “cut back” or “take things easy”. Always up at the crack of dawn even after reading or researching deep into the night, her status as the leader of the emperor’s coven meant the latter was a common occurrence. It had been for many years now, and she didn’t reckon it would stop any time soon.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In other words, she was used to functioning on the bare minimum when it came to sleep.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>No</span>
  </em>
  <span> sleep however? She was beginning to feel the effects of that quite readily.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A week had passed since she’d ventured down into the deepest depths of the dungeons below that palace, and the hours of rest, nevermind sleep she’s gotten since then can be counted on a single hand.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The conversation she’d had with her sister within the obsidian cage’s black, damp walls was definitely the cause of her involuntary insomnia.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The words her sister had spoken had been haunting her every restful moment, causing her to busy herself with studies and plans even more than she already was. A fruitless attempt it turned out, as on the third day even her pouring over documents and perfecting spells wasn’t enough to calm the raging voice at the back of her consciousness.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A voice that was unmistakably Eda’s.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t call me sister, you lost that right.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That had hurt more than any blow she’d inflicted during their fight.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Eda didn’t mean it.</span>
  </em>
  <span> She’d tried to reason, clearing her face from the black streaks of mascara that tears had dragged down her cheeks that first night.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>She didn’t. </span>
  </em>
  <span>She’d tried to convince herself, tossing and turning for the fourth night in a row.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>She-</span>
  </em>
  <span>  The raven haired witch can’t even argue the fifth night, because she </span>
  <em>
    <span>knows</span>
  </em>
  <span> that Eda did mean it, but that is something she tries not to think about. For her own sake.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But in typical Eda fashion, emotional conflict just isn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>enough</span>
  </em>
  <span>. And Lilith once again finds herself working against the clock. Eda’s right, Belos is not known for his patience, and he </span>
  <em>
    <span>would</span>
  </em>
  <span> dispose of Edalyn without a second thought if he became convinced she wouldn’t join him, Lilith’s pleading be damned.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She wishes she could call the bluff, but she knows it’s not a bluff. Eda would do something like that if it meant sticking it to whoever she felt deserved it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Which leaves her in her room, red eyed from a lack of sleep. Hair frazzled and dress crumpled, she’s lost count of how many times she’s tripped over the piles of books scattered throughout her room in her pacing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was only one way Eda could be brought into the fold, a single weakness. And that just happened to be her little human </span>
  <em>
    <span>pet</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The moment Lilith realized the significance that her sister’s pet apparently had, she cursed herself in every language she knew. She’d been </span>
  <em>
    <span>holding</span>
  </em>
  <span> the little rat, and had just tossed her aside.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She turned to the massive board next to her bed, for the first time since she’d bought it the massive thing wasn’t pinned full of pictures of Eda, instead pinned across it were numerous pictures of the little </span>
  <em>
    <span>runt</span>
  </em>
  <span> that her sister cared so much for.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She briefly considered just hunting the human down,using the coven’s numbers to scour the isles and find her that way. but that wouldn’ work. Best case scenario she was holed up in some forest somewhere, and it would take weeks- if not months if they were </span>
  <em>
    <span>lucky</span>
  </em>
  <span> to find her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> Worse still would be if she was holed up in the owl house, that infernal </span>
  <em>
    <span>bird-tube-thing </span>
  </em>
  <span>was there, so breaking in wasn’t an option.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>No, she needed the human to come to </span>
  <em>
    <span>her</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Or at least present herself in such a way that escape was impossible, she needed an </span>
  <em>
    <span>in</span>
  </em>
  <span>, a way to drive her out into the open and capture her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her thoughts spun around in a maelstrom, seemingly consuming her awareness with it as she stumbled suddenly- stepping on her dress, losing her balance and crashing into a chair she’d forgotten to place back where it belonged.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>To Lilith, it was the straw that broke the Griffon’s back.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“AAAAAAAARGH!!” She roared, telekinetically sending a chair into the wall, it shattered on impact.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I’ll clean that up later. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The raven haired witch collapsed on her bed, burying her face in her hands in sheer frustration.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Come on Lilith, think.” What kind of weaknesses does she have? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Eda? </span>
  </em>
  <span>No, out of the question, Belos wouldn’t allow it anyways and it was too risky.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The little dog demon?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Another dead end, he would undoubtedly be at the, </span>
  <em>
    <span>shudder</span>
  </em>
  <span> Owl house.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She turns, resting one leg on the mattress as she looks out at the setting sun. Not that it mattered all that much, sleep would likely elude her tonight as well, her gaze nevertheless followed the setting sun as it disappeared behind the hills, which led her to notice something sitting on the windowsill.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, those were a month old.” She whines, picking up the small pot with the wilted remains of a pair of demonic daisies.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Wait a minute</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A tiny cerulean flame dances at her fingertips a second later, inching closer and closer towards the dead flowers. The wilted remains of what had once been beautiful flowers set alight, their embers dancing within Lilith’s eyes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Let’s see just how similar you and your “daughter” are</span>
  <em>
    <span>.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>--Hexside, the following day--</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>To say Amity was grumpy was an understatement, thanks to the cast and a generous bit of healing magic, it had only taken two weeks for her ankle to heal, a far cry from the natural six weeks the doctor had estimated. It was still a big stiff and tender, but at the very least she could walk again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That wasn’t what she was grumpy about, she’d </span>
  <em>
    <span>missed</span>
  </em>
  <span> the excursion to the emperor’s castle. Amity had argued and pleaded with her parents, but they’d been steadfast in their reasoning that she needed rest, “There’s always next year.” and “It’s for your own good” were sentences she’d had more than enough of.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Probably didn’t want a Blight to appear weak. </span>
  </em>
  <span>She bitterly thought as she entered the school, because of course that would be her parents’ first priority. Not their daughter, but their public appearance.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Thankfully, at the very least Ed and Em had mostly let her be during those two weeks, only pestering her those first few days to let them sign her cast. Once she’d caved in on that they’d left her alone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So now she was finally back at school, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> not looking forward to hearing people bring up how she’d missed a school trip to her dream. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Willow and Gus would at the very least be nice about it, she reckoned. Boscha would definitely rub it in her face though.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh Amity, where were you? I thought the emperor’s coven was your dream?</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Amity wasn’t sure what was worse, the fact that Boscha most likely </span>
  <em>
    <span>would</span>
  </em>
  <span> do something like that, or the fact that she now had the girl’s voice stuck in her head on repeat.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Thankfully, due to having her cast removed earlier that morning. She arrived precisely on time for the hour long lunch break, which meant that 1. she’d have to sit through only </span>
  <em>
    <span>half</span>
  </em>
  <span> a day’s worth of Boscha’s antics, and 2. She’d most likely be filled in on what exactly she’d missed by </span>
  <em>
    <span>Luz</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luz who would no doubt spend the full hour rambling on about ten different things at once, half the time making no sense and the other half likely confusing or horrifying the teal haired witch, yet she’d be hooked on every word. Because those very words were uttered by </span>
  <em>
    <span>her.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Amity let out a squeak as she felt her cheeks burn up. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Luz</span>
  </em>
  <span>, that infernally optimistic human girl that had quite literally barged into her life and dragged her along an emotional rollercoaster she wasn’t sure she wanted to leave.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mainly because right now, just thinking of the human made her feel like she was in freefall. Strange, light, yet exhilarating and oh so </span>
  <em>
    <span>right.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Checking to see if nobody had witnessed her momentary lapse in demeanor, she sighed in relief when nobody had. That wasn’t something she needed to deal with.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Just as she was about to turn into the hallway where the cafeteria was, something caught her eye. A cloak of white disappearing around the corner.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Huh, Amity wondered. What was the emperor’s coven doing at hexside.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>--</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ugh.” Gus groaned, resting his head on the cool metal of the table. “Where is she? I’m getting worried.”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Yeah Gus, me too.” Willow muttered, opting to just poke and prod at her lunch instead of eating it. “It’s been almost two weeks since, y’know.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Almost two weeks since the disaster at the emperor’s castle, since they’d confronted the leader of the emperor’s coven and Luz had been taken. What if she was still in the castle? Who</span>
  <em>
    <span> knows</span>
  </em>
  <span> what could have happened to her, the thought itself had been plaguing Willow ever since she’d gone home that day. Twisting a knot in her stomach and severely hampering her appetite.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gus was in a similar state, the normally overly cheery witch was nowhere to be found in his sullen expression and droopy ears.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey guys.” Both their gazes snapped up, eyes wide as they met the yellow eyes and dyed green hair of the newest addition to their little group.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did something happen?” The teal haired witch said, looking between the seated witches with a look of apprehension.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Amity-” Willow began, only to be cut off by Gus. “Amity you gotta help us, Lilith took Luz and we have no idea where she is and it’s beenalmosttwoweeksAmityplea-” He rambled at the witch before Willow could scramble over the table and slap a hand over his mouth.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t scream it out willy nilly Gus, we can’t help Luz if we get in trouble ourselves.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Willow looked at the now </span>
  <em>
    <span>very concerned </span>
  </em>
  <span>expression that marred Amity’s face, and nodded.</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Yeah, something happened.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Amity’s mind went at a thousand miles per hour. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Lilith, Luz, taken?!</span>
  </em>
  <span> Before her eyes widened in alarm.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wait, is that why the emperor’s coven is at hexside.?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They’re what?!” Both of them snapped back, eyes wide. At that same moment, bump’s voice rang out through the cafeteria through the school’s shrieker system.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Will the students Willow Park and Augustus Porter please report to the principal’s office immediately.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That same moment, at the entrance to the cafeteria two emperor’s coven members entered, gazing at the mass of students as they stood guard at their one and only entrance.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh no, what do we do?” Gus asked, looking between the two other witches in alarm, pulling at his hair in alarm as he started hyperventilating. Amity and Willow shared a look before the plant witch gently removed his hands from his hair.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Gus, calm down. We’re gonna be fine.” Willow said, gently prying the panicking illusionist’s hands from his hair. “Let’s just go see what Bump wants.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Both of them walked out of the cafeteria together, the emperor’s coven members moving forward to escort them. Amity’s mind was a whirlpool of conflicted thoughts as she watched them round the corner, flanked on both sides by the guards.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>What the hell had happened, what had she missed? Luz was apparently being held captive? Willow and Gus were in trouble with the coven, and her mentor was somehow behind all of it?</span>
</p><p> </p><p><span>So absorbed within her mind was she, that she almost missed the raven haired figure pass in front of the doorway.</span><span><br/></span><span><br/></span> <em><span>Miss Lilith.</span></em></p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She took off down the hallway, she’d be able to explain everything that had happened, surely there was something they were missing. Right?!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>--</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Miss Lilith, Miss Lilith!” She called out, running down the halls after her mentor. With the noise of the crowded hallways she wasn’t sure she would be heard. Thankfully however she stopped, whirling around as her blue eyes scanned the hall. Frown softening into a small smile as her blue eyes locked with Amity’s yellow ones.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah, Amity, how is my favourite pupil doing?”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“I’ve come to-” </span>
  <em>
    <span>Wait.</span>
  </em>
  <span> “You have other pupils?” She asked, the raven haired witch let out a small snort.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Just the one” She said, a cheeky smile on her lips “But anyways. What were you going to ask me?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I-” Amity began, before closing her mouth with an audible “click” Should she even ask? What if she got Gus and Willow in trouble, what if she got </span>
  <em>
    <span>herself</span>
  </em>
  <span> in trouble?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Amity?” Lilith’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts. “Are you alright?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Y-yeah.” She couldn’t even meet her mentor’s gaze as she answered.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, I’ve got some business here.” The raven haired witch said, turning away. “I  see your foot healed quite nicely, I expect you next week. I wish to see just how far your abomination magicks have come.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What happened with Luz!” Amity bit out, before slapping her hands over her mouth in horror, eyes wide. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Lilith turned around slowly, the kind smile was gone. Replaced with a thunderous expression.</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Why do you wish to know?”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <em>
    <span>Because I care about her.  </span>
  </em>
  <span>“I-I just heard something about her not having returned to school after the field trip to the emperor’s castle, and I thought maybe you knew something.” She tried, breaking off into a mumble as she looked at the floor again, hazarding a quick glance upwards.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lilith’s expression was one of suspicion, but she sighed.</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Don’t worry about the human, she’s currently holed up at the owl house but within the day she’ll be a bother to no one ever again.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With that she took off down the hallway again. Leaving Amity horrified and conflicted. So it was true? Lilith had done something to Luz….</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The teen slumped against a nearby locker, overcome by the new information.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>What am I going to do?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Was the only thing that echoed through her mind. Could she even do something… NO. She had to do something, but what?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She was so focussed on that one sentence, she didn’t notice the locker next to the one she was leaning on opening…. or the hands reaching towards her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>--</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gus and Willow were currently seated in front of the principal, the two guards flanking the door. Nobody had said a word other than Bump’s quick “welcome” when they were brought in.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The door opened once again, but neither dared look up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah, miss Clawthorne. Nice of you to join us, would you mind filling me in as to why I was asked to call these two students of mine?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Clawthorne? Lilith. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Willow’s eyes narrowed, turning around in her seat to glare at the new arrival. She noticed Willow’s glare but gave no response, instead opting to speak as if she weren’t there.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Emperor’s business principal, rest assured they will be delivered back within your care before the end of the school day.”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
    <br/>
  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>What did they need her and Gus for? She shared a look with the other witch, but he didn’t seem to have a clue as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“That is good to hear, but it does not answer my question. Emperor’s business or not I will not hand these students over to you lest I am assured of their safety, and you have done nothing to give me such insurance.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her eyes widened, glancing at Bump who looked annoyed and angry. He noticed her and the corner of his mouth went up the </span>
  <em>
    <span>tiniest</span>
  </em>
  <span> bit before his gaze returned to Lilith again</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Bump-” She tried, only this time she was cut off.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Where’s Luz.” Willow spoke, turning to glare at the witch once more. This time she was forced to notice her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Excuse me?” She had the audacity to look offended.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m asking you, where is Luz. What did you do to her?” Willow demanded again, eyes glowing green as her magic started acting of its own accord.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Willow, Gus. What do you mean?” Bump asked, Standing up from his seat with a thunderous expression.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wetriedtohelpluzwithedascursebutlilithshowedupandcapturedluz-” Gus rambled again, words pouring out as he explained everything. Willow saw Lilith’s pale face lose another two shades of colour, before turning to look at Bump again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His face was calm, </span>
  <em>
    <span>too</span>
  </em>
  <span> calm.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Miss Clawthorne. Where is my student?” Bump asked in a tone that was all too monotone to be anything but barely suppressed rage.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She’s fine, after I apprehended the owl lady she was let go. But we need her, and she is most likely at the owl house- HEY! Get back here!”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
    <br/>
  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The coven’s leader took off. The two guards following her, Willow and Gus craned their necks to see what they were…</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Was that </span>
  <em>
    <span>them</span>
  </em>
  <span> running down the hall?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wh-” Gus tried to say, only to find a hand clamped over his mouth. Willow found a similar hand on her own. She tried to pry it off, but the hand stayed.</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Looking up to see who it was brought another surprise.</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Hiya, Mittens asked us to help you. Don’t mention it.” The words appeared in the air before Willow, finally she noticed just who it was, or well… were.</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Edric and Emira, Bump was still looking concernedly at the door whilst the two of them were crouched in front of Willow and Gus respectively.</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>More words popped into the air before them. “Come on, we’re invisible right now.” they spelled out, Willow nodded and Edric removed his hand from her mouth, crawling on hands and knees behind the desk, quickly followed by Gus and Willow.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Willow’s eyes widened as she saw, on the wall behind Bump there was a square hole, Amity’s face was poking out of it and she was motioning for them to jump in.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Edric crawled in first, Emira and Gus followed him quickly afterwards. Only Willow remained.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The creaking of a chair being pushed back was all the warning she had before a hand grabbed her by the collar, lifting her up off the floor, bump’s unimpressed gaze met her own fearful one.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The letters were visible” He muttered, prompting a sheepish look from the twins as Amity facepalmed behind them</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> “Run along now.” He said, setting Willow down gently.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Uh, what?” Willow squeaked out.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It would appear as if we have been tricked by a clever ruse. An exceptionally well done illusion spell that had us all fooled.” Bump deadpanned, not meeting their gazes as he moved to take his seat behind the desk again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Willow had just stepped through the portal when his voice called out once more. “Oh, and students? Please make sure Luz is alright.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Willow nodded. “We will.” She said, before closing the mysterious door behind her.</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>--</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wow, what is this place?” Gus asked. The room was </span>
  <em>
    <span>huge</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Covered in dozens of doors literally from floor to ceiling.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Willow couldn’t help but agree, it </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> a pretty amazing room.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ve been informed it’s called the secret room of shortcuts” A voice piped up from behind them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Amity!” They cried out, turning to face the green haired witch.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thanks, you really bailed us out there.” Willow smiled as Gus nodded.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Actually-” Amity began, before being shoved down. Edric and Emira leaning on her head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Actually, Mittens here just asked us for help.” Emira begun.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’re the ones that bailed you out.” Edric finished, a smug grin plastered on his face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How’d you guys find this room?” Gus asked, as Amity shoved the twins off of her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We didn’t!” They both piped up, before pointing a finger up “She did.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Willow and Gus followed their finger, to where a brown haired girl was sat on the top of the spiralling staircase. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She waved down at them. “Hi.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How did you rope Viney into this?” Amity asked, prompting a smug grin from Emira.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> “Blackmail.” She simply said, high fiving Edric</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Speaking of which.” The girl, now identified as Viney called out as she came down the stairway. Stopping in front of Emira.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are we even now?” She asked, Emira just scoffed. “You think doing a favour for my sister’s gonna make up for ditching me at Grom?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Nobody noticed the way Amity’s eyes grew wide at that.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I- that’s not fair, puddles was sick and I couldn’t jus-” The brunette tried to defend herself, hugging her own arms as she seemed to shrink in on herself.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Emira just pressed a finger to her lips. “Doesn’t make up for standing me up.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Oh, okay.” Viney said, shoulders sagging. Then, Emira landed a quick peck on her cheeks, causing the smaller witch to flush </span>
  <em>
    <span>crimson. </span>
  </em>
  <span>“I- uh, what?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Like I said, doesn’t make up for Grom. But, it’s a start.” Emira said. “Now shoo, get back to class, this is our business.” Viney nodded, running back up the spiralling stairs and disappearing behind one of the doors.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <span>“Me and Ed will try to look for a way out, you guys stay here ‘till we get back, alright?” Emira said, opening another door that seemed to lead into a storage closet.</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Alright.” Amity said, before turning to Willow and Gus.</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Tell me </span>
  <b>
    <em>Everything.</em>
  </b>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Well then, that's done. Please tell me your thoughts in the comments, I adore hearing them!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Hexside hijinx, part 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>And here's chapter 3!</p><p><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/StormySkiesAhead/pseuds/StormySkiesAhead">StormySkiesAhead</a><br/>Many thanks to her and her awesome editing</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>Y’know, when you’ve got no access to natural light, your biological clock tends to just go <em> haywire. </em> You might find yourself sleeping at two in the afternoon, or awake at five in the morning.</p><p>
  
</p><p>Eda didn’t mind much, just meant more time to nap for her. Lilith hadn’t bothered her since that first time. The guards were still giving her a premium two meals a day and leaving her alone at all other times. That annoying red demon hadn’t even shown up yet.</p><p>
  
</p><p>So, when the air suddenly grew thick with magic, and there were no pleading words heard throughout the room, and no sound of a clattering food tray, that really narrowed down the list.</p><p>
  
</p><p>The fact that the small demoness would be far too light to have footsteps that heavy narrowed it down even further.</p><p>
  
</p><p>So, with a sigh, she opened an eye.</p><p>
  
</p><p>Lo and behold, she’d been correct. </p><p>
  
</p><p><em> How she wishes she hadn’t been. </em> </p><p>
  
</p><p>“What brings you here, Belos?” </p><p>
  
</p><p>--</p><p>
  
</p><p>Willow and Gus had told her about the trip, the heist gone wrong and Luz’s capture by Lilith. The sheer absurdity of the situation had Amity wondering if it was a dream for a while, but this was beginning to feel more and more akin to a nightmare.</p><p>
  
</p><p>What were they going to <em> do </em>?</p><p>
  
</p><p>Eda had been captured, the emperor’s coven wanted Luz, Willow and Gus seemed to be in trouble too. It all sounded too horrible to be true.</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Do, do you guys think Luz is ok?” Gus asked, breaking the silence. The two witches shared a look before Amity answered.</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Is she ok? I don’t know Gus, but if she’s at the owl house at least she’s safe.” Willow nodded in agreement, but Gus didn’t seem to think the answer satisfactory, curling further in on himself as the plant witch threw an arm around his shoulder.</p><p>
  
</p><p>“So, what now?” Willow asked, turning to Amity.</p><p>
  
</p><p>“I’ve got no idea.” Amity admitted. “If Ed and Em find a way out, it would still mean having to make a break for the owl house, and with the coven on our trail we’d be lucky to make it even halfway.”</p><p>
  
</p><p>It was probably the last thing they wanted to hear her say, but it was the truth. The emperor’s coven only accepted the best of the best, and with Lilith herself around there really was no way for them to make a clean escape.</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Maybe they can smuggle us out with illusion magic?” Willow suggested, to which Gus shook his head. </p><p>
  
</p><p>“That only worked because they didn’t expect it, by now they’ve probably dispelled our illusions and alerted the rest, if they tried we’d be detected by a seeker spell and they’d be in big trouble.”</p><p>
  
</p><p>“What about a distraction?” Willow suggested, and Amity had to agree, a distraction would be the best way to deal with the no doubt dozens of guards roaming around the school, but what could be a big enough…</p><p>
  
</p><p>Amity’s eyes widened, that was it. “Gus, Willow. Start checking the doors, find out which one’s closest to the gym.”</p><p>
  
</p><p>“What for?” Gus asked, scooting closer to th</p><p>
  
</p><p>Amity didn’t turn around, instead opening a door that exited into the detention room. “Let’s create a distraction.”</p><p>
  
</p><p>With that she hopped out, quickly followed by Gus and Willow, the moment all of them jumped out, the gate closed. </p><p>
  
</p><p>“Well, no turning back now.” Willow muttered, turning to Amity who was poking her head out the door, no doubt looking for guards.</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Willow, you have any seeds?” </p><p>
  
</p><p>The plant witch nodded, reaching into one of her uniform’s pockets and producing a few tiny brown seeds.</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Good, here’s the plan. We’re making a break for the gym.” Amity said, Gus and Willow looked confusedly at her.</p><p><br/>“Why, that’s on the other side of the school, and away from the owl house.” Amity nodded “True, but it’s the only way we’ll be able to create enough of a ruckus to escape.”</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Well then… continue.”<br/><br/>“The moment we hit the gym, you throw those seeds into the middle of the room, and you pour as much magic as you possibly can into them. Make them grow big enough to burrow through stone.” <br/><br/>“Are you suggesting we escape via the roof?” Amity shook her head, pointing downwards.</p><p>
  
</p><p>Their eyes widened.</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Amity that’s insane!” Gus screamed out, before Willow slapped a hand over his mouth. </p><p>
  
</p><p>“Are you sure Amity?” Willow asked, looking vaguely sick. “What about the other students.”</p><p>
  
</p><p>“That’s what I’m counting on.” Amity said, expression unreadable. “They’ll have to use all their numbers to keep the students safe.”</p><p>
  
</p><p>Willow didn’t like it, not one bit. The mere thought of unleashing <em> that </em> upon the school unexpectedly made her blood run cold- but Amity was right, it was objectively the best choice in their current situation.</p><p>
  
</p><p>So, she nodded. And when Amity mouthed a quiet “Follow.”, she was second out the door, Gus hesitantly following after them.</p><p>
  
</p><p>Creeping along the hallways was stressful. Every sound had them flinching, wondering when the inevitable guard would come around the corner and they’d have to make a run for it.</p><p>
  
</p><p>Thankfully, they managed to dodge every guard they came across, be it because of Gus’ illusions or Amity’s quick thinking.</p><p>
  
</p><p>The green haired witch was cautiously optimistic, poking her head around the corner. There, at the other end of the hallway. The entrance to the gym, no students or guards in sight. </p><p>
  
</p><p>“Come on.” She said, taking off down the hallway, Willow and Gus hot on her heels. They were almost there, they just needed to get through this door. </p><p>
  
</p><p>Suddenly, however, as they were less than two feet away from the door, a pale yellow bubble encompassed it, causing them to bounce against it.</p><p>
  
</p><p>As they laid there groaning on the ground, a voice rang out. A voice that had Amity’s skin crawl with its familiarity.</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Amity, what are you doing?”</p><p>
  
</p><p>Her mentor.</p><p>
  
</p><p><em> Lilith </em>.</p><p>
  
</p><p>Scrambling up off the floor she pulled both Willow and Gus behind her, there on the other side of the hallway stood the leader of the emperor’s coven, her ivory raven’s eyes glowing a pale blue as she looked upon them with a confused and betrayed expression.</p><p>“Amity, what are you doing with them? Was that you, in Bump’s office?” The student didn’t reply, merely looking at her mentor defiantly.</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Why are you even helping them, we only need them for a few hours. And then they’ll be returned to Hexside unharmed.”</p><p>
  
</p><p>“After you use them to draw out Luz, right?” The air grew colder as those words set in, Willow’s horrified gasp the only sound that echoed through the hallway. Lilith said nothing for a while, seemingly content with glaring at the floor, before her pale blue eyes found Amity’s yellow ones again.</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Yes.” She confirms, and Amity has to fight back a flinch as her mentor looks completely unrepentant at the horrifying implications. ‘How’d you figure it out?”</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Wasn’t that hard, Willow and Gus told me you did the same thing with Eda, only makes sense you’d try the same trick again.”<br/><br/>“That- was the plan.” The raven haired witch admits, clutching her staff tightly. “Amity, please step away from them before the guards arrive, if they catch you with them…” The implication weighs heavy on her, but as she turns to look at Gus and Willow, and sees their terrified expressions-</p><p>
  
</p><p>“No.”</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Amity please.” Lilith pleads. “The emperor’s coven, your dream. You’ll be throwing it away for this human. Imagine what your parents will say when they find out, please just come with me and I can tell the guards you were in the area. This only ends badly for you, <em> please. </em> ” <br/><br/>Amity’s mouth opens, but she falters for a bit. <br/><br/><em> She’s right. If you go through with this, everything you’ve worked for all these years? It means nothing. </em> All the sleepless nights, all the exercises that had left her on the verge of collapse with their intensity, the fake friends and the fake life and everything would just have been for a cause that might as well crumble into dust.</p><p>
  
</p><p><em> Is that really so bad? To for once in your life make a choice yourself and say damn the consequences? </em> <em> <br/></em> <em> <br/></em>Not really, she supposes.</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Going with you, it means selling out Luz.” <br/><br/>The name itself has an instant effect, Lilith’s face clouds over in anger as her lips pull back into a snarl. <br/><br/>“That-that <em> human </em> has sunk its claws into you too?” The sheer venom with which it’s spoken makes the three of them take a step back, but Amity’s defiance isn’t planning on stopping now that she’s started.</p><p>
  
</p><p>“What?” She scoffs. “If anyone’s dug their claws into me it’s <em> you </em> and my parents. Not Luz.” Lilith’s rage is gone in a second, she looks.. hurt.</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Amity, you know that’s not true.” She tries, but the teen cuts her off.</p><p><br/>“Really, is it not? You’re telling me that you, the leader of the emperor’s coven <em> offering </em> to tutor me had nothing to do with who my parents are, with <em> what </em> I am? You and my parents only see a <em> Blight, </em> someone to carry on the family name, someone to make themselves look good by comparison, someone you can use for personal gain.” Lilith’s grip on her staff tightens as tears begin to well up in the teal haired witch’s eyes.</p><p>
  
</p><p>A part of her wants to comfort the girl, another part of her wants to say she’s wrong. But nothing spills from her lips, because she knows it’s true. Even she had originally sought out the girl for gain with her parents.</p><p>
  
</p><p>The fact she’d grown to truly care for the girl seemed disingenuous, when her motivation was laid bare. So she kept her mouth shut as the shaking teen gathered her breath for a second round of shouting.<br/><br/>“My friends were picked for me, my track was picked for me, even <em> my hair </em> !” The blight girl yanks at the dyed hair then, so forcefully even  that Lilith flinches. “ <em> Don’t worry dear, this will make you look like a </em> <b> <em>true</em> </b> <em> Blight.” </em>She calls out then, a mocking imitation of her mother’s voice that’s good enough for Lilith to recognise it as such.</p><p>
  
</p><p> “Luz never cared for that, she didn’t give a crap that my last name was Blight. She wanted to get to know <em> Amity, </em> not the rich girl or the youngest daughter of an influential family, <em> me </em>.” </p><p>
  
</p><p>Her arms move in unison as she says that, drawing two magic circles in the air from which purple muck begins to pour into the hallway.</p><p>
  
</p><p>She grits her teeth, feeling her bile sac draining as she wills more and more of the sentient goop out of the portals, before forming it into an abomination big enough that even on all fours it almost touches the ceiling.</p><p>
  
</p><p>The eyes of Lilith’s raven begin to light up with cerulean flames as she faces down the gargantuan abomination. </p><p>
  
</p><p>“Are you sure, Amity?” She asks, one last time. </p><p>
  
</p><p>“Yes.” Amity says, gritting her teeth as beads of sweat trickle down her face. <em> This is harder than I’d imagined. </em>  WIllow and Gus place supportive hands on her shoulders, and she manages to send them a quick, painful smile before her concentration is required, keeping the abomination together for as long as it needs to.</p><p>“Abomination, ATTACK!” She roars, willing the creature to crash through the hallway with the force of an avalanche.<br/><br/><em> I need to time this perfectly. </em> She thinks, watching the purple creature thunder closer and closer to her mentor. <br/><br/>The flames on her staff have intensified, seemingly lashing out at anything in sight as they glow brighter and brighter. <br/><br/><em> The best way to destroy an abomination is to hit it center mass. </em>She remembers her mentor, or well ex-mentor telling her once</p><p>
  
</p><p>The black haired woman’s staff comes down into a firing position. She thrusts it forwards, launching a blue-white burning projectile at the abomination that is still mindlessly charging her.<br/><br/><em> Now. </em> She lets go, allowing the mass of ichor to fall apart mere moments before the missile hits it. <br/><br/>“DOWN!” she roars, grabbing Gus and WIllow by their collars as she dives towards the ground, dragging them with her, and not a moment too soon. <br/><br/>The magical blast passes over them harmlessly, crashing into the magical barrier and utterly obliterating it, before moving on to the door. The subsequent explosion rattles the school, the three students would have likely gotten bombarded with shrapnel if not for the hasty abomination Amity drapes over them, its formless flesh absorbing the wooden shards before they can hit the teens.</p><p>
  
</p><p>Amity uses the last of her magic to will it upwards, forcing the small pile of wood to shift and allowing them a clear entrance to the gym, before she’s forced to release control of it. She releases a shaky breath, droplets of sweat dripping off her brow as a chill sets in.</p><p>
  
</p><p>She knows the signs, magic fatigue. Any further casts beyond this will have serious consequences.</p><p>
  
</p><p>Maybe even fatal ones.</p><p>
  
</p><p>But, that’s a problem for another time. Standing up on shaky legs, she somehow finds the strength to yank both Gus and Willow upwards.</p><p>
  
</p><p>“C-cm’n” She grits out because <em> wow </em> it feels like her lungs are on fire and she’s pretty sure the moment the adrenaline kicks off she’s going to faint.</p><p>
  
</p><p>They make it to the center of the gym, before an all too familiar voice rings out from the doorway.<br/><br/>“Stop.” They turn to find Lilith at the entrance, dress crinkled and hair a mess and pointing her staff at them. It’s eyes are glowing again and that very same cerulean flame dances across the raven’s beak.</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Please, come with me. There is no need to escalate this even further.” She tries.<br/><br/>“You just tried to BLOW US UP!” The smallest of the three yells, before the girl- WIllow reaches into her pocket, revealing a few seeds.</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Do it, NOW.” Amity yells at the plant witch, before dragging the smaller boy up with her into the bleachers.</p><p>
  
</p><p>The seeds drop to the ground as her eyes start glowing, and Lilith has to admit she’s a little impressed at the sheer potency of magic that just radiates from her, before the seeds react.<br/><br/>First it’s a twitch, the next moments arm-thick vines burst from them, spreading all over the Gym like a vegetative oil spill, she even had to throw up a barrier when some of the closer vines lashed out, battering against the yellowish shield as they seemed to just keep coming. <br/><br/>Suddenly, one of the vines bent, followed by a dozen more, seemingly trying to burrow through the stone.</p><p>
  
</p><p>The shrill grinding of stone on stone makes Lilith realize something, something that makes her blood run cold. Those vines are not burrowing.</p><p>
  
</p><p>They’re prying something open.<br/><br/>Her suspicions are confirmed within the next few seconds, a stone slab gets pulled out of the ground with enough force to bury itself in the wall opposite of where the two other witches are located, the other one doesn’t get thrown with quite as much force, but it still manages to smash the first two wooden rows of the bleachers. <br/><br/>At once, the vines stop, and for a few moments, the only sounds heard are the hurried clacking of shoes upon stone as the third witch scrambles up the bleachers after her friends, then it’s broken by the sound of shattering glass as one of the windows is smashed. She raises her staff, halfway through drawing the circle to cast another barrier on the window-</p><p>
  
</p><p>A roar breaks the silence again, and Lilith’s head snaps back just in time to see the formless black shape of Grometheus the Fearbringer pull itself from the now unlocked cage. She’s barely quick enough to bisect a shadowy tendril with her staff before it touches her, teleporting to the other side of the gym.<br/><br/>She catches a glimpse of the boy’s foot disappearing out of the window before her vision is eclipsed by an inky maw, this time a barrier spell pushes him back, before a torrent of flames drives it away from the raven haired witch. She spots Amity pulling herself up, visibly having some difficulty as the other witch boosts her from below. </p><p><em> What does that human have? </em> She growls mentally as she carves off another shadowy limb with a blast of light. She didn’t even belong here, magic was lost to her. She should have been sent home the moment she’d arrived, and yet somehow she’d wormed her way into somehow turning her sister <em> and </em> her pupil against her. <br/><br/>The thought itself makes something in Lilith snap, and when Grom lunges for her again the blast she sends out in retaliation sets the vines alight with bright blue flames. Floating down to the ground, she brandishes her staff within shaking hands, trembling with rage as she scours the gym for the creature. <br/><br/>She sees Bump’s signature barriers pop up around the school, and she knows that catching those three runaways is less and less likely the longer she stays here. So she needs to hurry up and- <br/><br/>She’s barely able to spin herself out of the way of a clawed hand made of darkness, a few strands of her hair ripped out as the abyssal claws almost graze her head, jumping back a few feet she grabs one of the pieces of the cage, putting the stone slab between her and the demon. <br/><br/>It circles her, like a prowling cat, before charging once more. She turns the slab ninety degrees, transforming her shield into a five tonne projectile as she hurls it at the fearbringer. <br/><br/>What happened next was not something she’d seen coming. The shadowy mass splits in twain, allowing the door to harmlessly pass between its two disembodied halves, the next moment the newly reformed Grom slams into her with the force of a crashing avalanche, sending her crashing into the wall with enough force to crater herself into it. <br/><br/>The pain makes her vision blur as she slumps forward, but the cold, invasive tentacle pins her into the hole, suddenly she feels every single memory she’s ever had rushing through her mind at once. The sensory overload nearly blacking her out, then the tentacle retreats, leaving her to crash into the floor. <br/><br/>When her eyes open again, she’s on her hands and knees, and blood is dripping from her split lip. Not fully aware of the situation again she looks up. <br/><br/>Her eyes meet a younger Lilith’s, and she realizes she’s currently in Eda’s old room. <br/><br/>She sees her former self take a step forward, fishing the paper with the curse from her cloak. <br/><br/>What happens next makes her eyes widen in shock. Her younger self steps up to the sleeping Edalyn, clears her breath as she raises up the paper. <br/><br/>And tears it in half.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Chapter 3's a wrap, tune in next time to find out what LIlith's greatest fear is, also feel free to tell me your thoughts, or scream at me for a cliffhanger after two weeks of nothing</p><p>Either works</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Announcement</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>This is way overdue, and probably too little too late, but as most people might have guessed, currently on HIATUS</p><p>I found myself torn between this fanfiction and my other one, little light. And I decided that focussing on the latter was something I preferred</p><p>I have no idea when I'll start writing this one again, but I think you all deserve the clarity</p><p>My sincerest apologies.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hopefully you all liked it, please comment. They are genuinely the most enjoyable thing about writing fics in my opinion.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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